Mill



Aprii 7, 1925. 4 1,532,716 A. G. PLACE ET AL MILL Filed Jan. 27, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 l m E April 7, 1925. 1,532,716

A. G. PLACE ET AL MILL Filed Jan, 27, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 7, 1925.

A. G. PLACE ET AL MILL V 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 27, 1922 kw E W N w m Patented Apr. 7, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED e. PLACE AND ALFRED E. JUPP, or YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO.

MILL.

Application filed January 27, 1922. Serial No. 532,115.

' and ALFRED E. JUPP. citizens of the United States, residing. at Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mills, of which the following is a full, clear; and exact description.

Our invention relates to mills and par ticularly to a method of and apparatus for controlling the direction of movement of material passing OVGI a roll table of the form generally used in connection with merchant mills.

Heretofore it hasbeen necessary to have an operator manually control the deflecting means or switch for directing the material coming from the mill to one side or the other of the cooling bed. That arrangement has the disadvantagesthat it is expensive in requiring the wages of an operator and that, because of the human element entering into the operation, mistakes are made which result in cobbles or ambs on amount of the imperfect timing of the operation of the deflecting means. These coblbles-resnlt in the loss of time and mater1a We have discovered a method and have devised apparatus whereby the direction of the material is automatically controlled by the material itself. thus eliminating the operator and avoiding cobbles and the resultant loss therefrom. In our method and apparatus the deflecting means is preferably controlled by a predetermined length of material passing over the table, this predeter' mined length being measured from the tail end of the material. the timing of the operation of the deflecting means is constant irrespective of the length of the material passing over the table.

Our invention will be better understood by reading the following description taken in connect-ion with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a roll table to which our invention has been Figure 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of the electrical circuits and apparatus involved;

Figure 8 is a plan view of that portion, of

By this arrangement the table in the vicinity of the deflecting means and is on a larger scale than Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a side elevation of that portion of the table shown in Figure 3.

We desire that it be understood that our invention ma be applied to any form of roll table or 1n fact to any table of similar means wherein it is desired to change the direction of material passing over such table and while we have shown our invention as applied to a roll table for merchant mills, it is not to be limited to use on that kind of table. I

Referring to the drawings, the table 1 is supported by standards 2 and is provided with the usual rolls 3 which may 'be driven from the power shaft 4 in any well known way. The table is provided with guards 6 extending over the top thereof. The table is also provided with a pan or bottom 7 of any desired material.

For convenience. in the following description the table may be divided'into. three parts, A, B and C. The part A receives articles of any desired length and size from a mill 3 and conducts the same to a cooling bed, not shown. poses it is desirable to conduct this material alternately to one side or the other of the cooling bed. This is donethrough the parts B and C which lead to the opposite sides of the cooling bed, The mate- For operating pur- I rial coming over the part A of the table tion 10 afford inclined surfaces for directing the material which strikes against one side or the other of the deflect-111g means depending upon its position. .A-n angle member 13 is attached to the sides of the part 10. The angle 13 is provided with a vertical member 14 which carries at its upper end a roller'15. The roller-15 runs on a track 16 which issupported by upright members 17 attached to the sides of the table.

The track 16 as shown in Figure 3 has the form of an arc of a circle around the shaft 18 to Which the lever 9 is attached. The

roller 15 supports the deflecting means 8 so that the same does not engage with the bottom of the table. The roller also acts to lessen the friction and therefore renders the operation of the deflecting means less difficult. Attached to the lower end of the shaft 18 is a lever 19. This lever is split at one end and surrounds the shaft 18 and is held firmly thereon by a. bolt 20 which passes through said split end. end of the lever 19 is connected with the rod 21 which is connected at its ends to the cores of the solenoids 22 and 23. The solenoids 22 and 23 are mounted upon a frame 23 attached to the table. The rod 21 is slotted at 24 and the end of the lever 19 extends into said slot as shown in Figure 4. A pin 25 passes through the rod 21 and through an elongated slot in the end of the lever 19. The shaft 18 is suitably journaled and supported in the floor of the table so that upon the actuation of the rod 21 by one or the other of the solenoids 22 or 23, the shaft 18 will be rotated and the position of the deflecting means 8 changed accordingly and as will be more fully explained later.

A switch lever 26 is carried in the part A of the table on a shaft 27. The upper end 28 of the lever 26 extends slightly above the floor 7 of the table. The other end of the lever 26 carries a contact 29 to which a conductor 30 is connected. The contact 29 cooperateswith a metallic plate 31 carried by an insulating member 32. The plate 31 is connected with one side 33 of. a supply circuit through a wire 34 in which is placed a switch Normally, the lever 26 assumes the position shown in Figure 2 by reason of the action of the counterweight 36. Placed in the part B is a switch lever 37 which may be identical with the lever 26. The lever 26 extends substantially across the part A of the table and the lever 37 extends substantlally across the width of the part B. The lever 37 is pivoted at 38 and its upper end 39 extends a short distance above the top of the bottom 7. The lever 37 is provided wlth a counterweight 40 and carries'a contact 41 mounted in a member 42 of insulatmg material. The contact 41 cooperates with the metallic plate 43 which is connected to the wire 30 by wire 44. The plate 43 is carried by a member 45 of insulating material. Normally the contact 41 rests on the stop 46. The contact 41 is connected with a W1re 47 which leads through a switch 48 to the contactor coil 49, and to wire 50 which 1s connected through a switch 51 with the other side 52 of the supply line.

A contact member 53 is placed in the part C as shown in Figure 1. The switch lever 53 is mounted on shaft 54 and its upper end 55 projects slightly above the floor 7. The counterweight 56 normally holds the lever 53 in the position shown in Figure 2. This The other with the wire 30 through a wire 61. The

contact 57 is connected with a wire 62 which connects through a switch 63 with the contactor coil 64. The coil 64 is connected to the wire 50 through a wire 65. A pivoted contact 66 is actuated to the closed position by the coil 49 when that coil is energized and to the open position by gravity when the coil 49 is deenergized. When the contact 66 is closed, it engages a contact 67 which closes the circuit through the solenoid 22 and energizes the same. The circuit extends from the power line 33 through the wire 68, contacts 66, 67, wire 69,'coil 22, wire 70 to the power line 52. A pivoted contact 71 is controlled by the coil 64. When the coil 64 is energized, the contact 71 is closed against the contact 72 and when coil 64 is deenergized, the contacts 71 and 72 are separated by gravity. When the contacts 71 and 72 are closed a circuit is completed through the solenoid 23 as follows: From the power line 33 through wire 7 3, contacts 71, 72, wire 74, solenoid 23, wire 75 to power line 52.

The operation of my device is as follows: When a piece of material comes from the mill over the part A of the table, it engages the upper end 28 of the switch lever 26 and separates the contact 29 from the plate 31. With the parts in position shown in Figure 1, the rod or other article is deflected by the switch 8 into the part B. When the article engages the upper end 39 of the switch lever 37, the contacts 41 and 43 will be closed and held closed as long as the article is in engagement with the end 39. The parts will remain passive until the article leaves the upper end 28 of the switch lever 26. As soon as the article leaves the end 28 the contacts 29 and 31 will be closed and a circuit established from wire 33 to wire 34, contacts 29, 31, wire 30, wire 44, contacts 43, 41, wire 47, coil 49, wire 50 to the other side 52 of the supply line. This circuit will encrgiz-e the contactor .coil 49 which will close the contacts 66 and 67 which completes a circuit through the solenoid 22 through the wires 68, 69 and 70. This willenergize the coil 22 whereupon it will attract its core and move the lever 19 thus moving the deflecting means 8 in a clockwise direction around the shaft 18 until its tipend 11 contacts with the opposite side of the roll table as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.

When the next article comes over the table, it will be deflected to the part 0 whereupon the contacts 57 and 60 will be closed and a circuit completed through the coil 64 which will actuate its contacts, thus energizing the solenoid 23 and moving the deflecting means 8 from the position shown in dotted lines, F igure 1, to the position shown in full lines. This cycle will be repeated by each pair of articles passing over the table. I

If it is desired for any reason to direct all of the material through the part B or C the deflecting means may be actuated accordingly and the switches 35 and 51 the switch 48 or 63 either one or the other of the solenoids 22 or 23 may be rendered ineffective.

The end 28 of the switch lever 26 is 10- eated some distance ahead of the point 11 1 'of the deflecting means 8, as shown in Fig- ,ure 1. This distance will depend upon the speed of travel of the material over the roll table, and the time interval" required for the operation of the deflecting means 8 by the solenoid 22 or 23 after the tail end of a piece of material has passed over the end 28, and is such as to insure shifting of the deflecting means 8 from one operative position'to the other before the leading end of the next piece reaches said deflecting means. lVith this arrangement, the deflecting means 8 operates in timed relation to the passage of the tail end of each piece of material over the end 28 of the switch lever 26, so that correct operation of the deflecting means can be relied upon even with varyinv lengths of bars and with only a short distance between successive bars. It will be understood, of course, that in actual practice the distance between the end .28 of the switch lever 26 and the end 39 of the switch lever 37, or between the .end 28 and the end of switch lever 53 will be less than the length of any piece of material passing over the roll table. From this, it will be readily apparent that a predetermined length of each piece of material, measured from the tail end thereof, will be efl'ective for closing and maintaining closed the electric circuit which controls the elec- -tro-magnet 22 or 23 for operating the defleeting means 8. This arrangement insures not only that the deflecting means 8 will be operatedlin timed relation to the passage of the tail end of each piece of material over the end. 28 ofswitch lever 26, but that the deflecting means will be thrown completely over after'the passage by the same of each piece of material, that is to say, will be moved from oneextreme position to the other.

Our

invention has many advantages,

among which maybe mentioned that by its use the wages of an operator are saved; an accurate timingof the swltching opera- .tion is effected, thus avoiding mistakes of judgment .with the resultant loss therefrom. Many other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Our' invention is particularly useful in handling concrete reinforcing bars, angles, skelp, flats, rounds of all sizes normally rolled on a 12" merchant mill, but it is not limited to its use with those articles.

While we have shown and described in detail one embodiment of our invention, we are not to be limited to the exact arrangement shown and described, as many changes may be made in the details without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1. In a method of controlling the direction of travel of moving pieces of material, regardless of the length of such pieces, the steps which consist in providing a direction controlling means and utilizing a predetermined length of each piece-to control said means, substantially as described.

2. A conveyor over which articles may be passed in different directions, means for controlling the direction of movement of such articles regardlessof their length, and means controlled by a predetermined length of each article passing over the conveyor for controlling said direction controlling ,means, substantially as described;-

3. A conveyor over which articles may be passed in different directions, means for controlling the direction of movement of such articles regardless of their length, and means controlled bya predetermined length of each article passing over the conveyor for controlling through said direction controlling means the direction of movement of the next article, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a conveyor,-ot' means for deflecting pieces of material passing over said conveyor into one or another of a plurality of paths regardless of the length of such pieces, and means controlled by a predetermined length of each piece for controlling the deflecting means, sub-' stantially as described.

5. The combination with a conveyor, of means for deflecting pieces of material passing over said conveyor into one or another of a plurality of paths regardless of the. length of such pieces, electrically operated means for actuating said deflecting means to different positions, and means controlled by a predetermined length of each piece passing over said conveyor for controlling said actuating means, substantially as described. 6. The combination with a conveyor, of means for-deflecting material passing over said conveyor into one or another of a plurality of paths and means controlled in timed relation to the passage of the rear ends of pieces of the material passing over a definite point on said conveyor for con-' trolling said deflecting means, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a conveyor, of means for deflecting material passing over said conveyor into one ,or another of a pludeflecting means to different positions, means for controlling said actuating means comprising a contact on the table, a contact in each of said paths and means ,through which said first contact is held open and the conrality of paths and means controlled by a tact in either path is held clospd by the predetermined length of material measured\ article passing over said conveyor and path,

from the rear end of such material for controlling said deflecting means, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a conveyorfof means for deflecting material passing over said conveyor into: one or another of a plus rality of paths, electricaily' operated means for actuating said deflecting means to different positions and means controlled by a predetermined. length of said material,

measured from the rear end of the material, for controlling said actuating means, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a conveyor, of means for deflecting material passing over said conveyor into'one or another of a plurality of paths, electrically controlled means for actuating said deflecting means to different positions and a contact controlled by the rear end of said material for rendering said actuating means effective, substantially as described.

10. The combination with a conveyor, of means for deflecting material passing over said conveyor into one or another of a plurality of paths, electrically controlled means fdr actuating'said deflecting means to different positions, a contact on the approaching side of said deflecting means, a contact in each of said paths and means through which the material passing over said conveyor actuates said first contact and the contact in oneor another of said paths for controlling said actuating means, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a conveyor, of means for deflecting material passing over said conveyor into one or another of a plurality of paths, means for actuating said deflecting means to different .positions, and means on the conveyor and in each of said paths for controlling said actuating means,

substantially as described.

12. The combination with a conveyor, of means for deflecting material passing over said conveyor into one or another of a plurality of paths, means for actuating said deflecting means 'to different positions, a contact on the conveyor, a contact in each of said paths and means through which the material passing-over said conveyor and any of said paths operates the contacts on said conveyor and in said path to control said actuating means, substantially-as described.

13. The combination with a conveyor, of means for deflecting material passing over said conveyor into one or another of a plurality of paths, means for actuatingsaid 3 hereby a circuit for said. controlling-means is closed from the time the rear end or" the article leaves the means for operating the first contact until it leaves the means for operating the second contact, substantially as described. Y

14. The combination with a conveyor, of means for deflecting material passing over said conveyor into one or another of a plurality of paths, means foractuatingthe defleeting meansto different positions, an electrical circuit for controlling said actuating means and means controlled by a predetermined length of the material passing over said conveyor for rendering andmaintaining said circuit operative to control said actuating means, substantially as described. 15. The combination with a conveyor of 'means for deflecting material. passing over said conveyor into one or another of a plurality of paths, electrically controlled means for actuating. said deflecting means to different positions, two electrical switches connected in series for controlling the circuit to said actuating means, one of said switches being held open by the material passing thereover and the other of said switches being held closed by the material passing thereover, substantially as described.

16. In combination with a conveyor of means for deflecting material passing over said conveyor into one or anothercof a plurality of paths, electrically controlled means for actuating said deflecting means to different positions, a switch on the conveyor and a switch in each of said paths in series with the switch on the conveyor for controlling the operating circuit to said actuating means and means whereby the switch on the conveyor is held open by the material passing thereover and the switches in the paths are held closed by the material passing thereover, substantially as described.

17. The combination with a conveyor, of means for deflecting material passing over said conveyor into one or another of a plurality of paths, and means for actuating said deflecting means from one position to a different position in timed relation to t-he passage of the tail end of a piece of material of a predetermined minimum length past a predetermined point on the convey'or, substantially as described.

18. The combination with a conveyor, of means for deflecting material passing over said conveyor into one or another of a plurality of paths, and electrical means, including aswitoh on the conveyor and in advance of said deflecting means and adapted to be held open by the materialpassing thereover, for actuating said deflecting means from one position to a diflerent position in timed relation'tothe passage, of the tail end of a piece of material of predetermined length over said switch, substantially as described.

19. The combination with a conveyor, of means for deflecting material passing over said conveyor into one or another of a plurality of paths, and electrical means, including a switch on the-'conveyor'in advance of said deflectlng means and a switch 1n each of said paths, for actuating said deflecting means from one position to a difi'erent position in timed relation tothe passage of the tail end of a piece of material over the switch on the conveyor having a minimum length equal to the distance between said switch on the conveyor and the switch in the, path taken by said piece, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto 

